[beastenator]

I'm having a hard time figuring the following formula out. How is it applied? What does the |C_a=
C_a^* suffix mean?

d(-1/R_a)/ dC_a  |C_a=C_a^*  = (1/-R_a,f - 1/-R_a^* )/ (C_a^* - C_a,o)

In the example I have to proof that for a first order reaction C_a^*=(C_a,o*C_a,f)^1/2

so,
-R_a = k C_a

then I can rearrange d(-1/Ra) and everything containing -1/Ra to one side and everything containing concentrations to the other, but then, how do I integrate, what's with that suffix behind d(Ca)?

[curious stackhouse]

For d(-1/R_a)/ dC_a take the value of C_a to be equal to C*_a. That is, the concentration is equal to its concentration when saturated.